


Darkness on the Edge of Town

by justtracy



Category: New Blood (TV)
Genre: Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Male Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-02
Updated: 2016-08-02
Packaged: 2018-07-28 22:50:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7659991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justtracy/pseuds/justtracy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arrash is investigating a case, Stefan is also investigating the same people. Stefan gets kidnapped and tortured. Arrash gets worried and angry.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Darkness on the Edge of Town

**Author's Note:**

> I was listening to Bruce Springsteen when writing this, the title is from a Springsteen song.

New Blood - Darkness of the Edge of Town

Arrash and DS Sands are watching some CCTV footage of a building they are currently surveilling in connection with the murder of 2 people (Stefan is also investigating the firm that rents the building about some SFO business. He won't say what, like usual) when a figure appears creeping around the outside of the building. Arrash immediately recognises Stefan. “What the hell is he doing there?” he asks himself out loud. DS Sands responds “you know this guy?” and gestures to the screen. “Yeah, he's my flatmate”, Arrash replies quietly.

Arrash then stands up and heads towards the door. “Sayyad, where are you going?”, Sands calls. “to get him out of there. If they find him snooping around they'll kill him”.

“It's not a live feed”, Sands says. “The footage is half an hour old”. Arrash looks horrified and glances back to the footage. Just as he does he sees Stefan get jumped by three guys who don't hold back on punching and kicking him. Arrash holds his breath as one of them pulls out a gun. There's no sound on the footage but Arrash assumes one of the other guys says something and instead of shooting Stefan (thank God) they push him into the back of a van and drive away.

“Jesus!” is all Arrash can manage. He's trying to keep his cool (he is at work and Sands is watching) but it's difficult but before he can say much else Sands calmly suggests checking the traffic cameras to see if they can track the van to where ever it went. Arrash replies, “Right”, and sits back down again. He nervously picks at his fingers.

***

Inside a dark and damp warehouse somewhere in London Stefan wakes up – he tries to move but he's tied to a chair by his feet and arms. He's all alone and he has no idea where he is or how he got there and he can taste blood in his mouth. This isn't good.

He then hears a voice say “guys, he's awake”.

Then three men approach him and one of them menacingly says “you're gonna tell us everything we need to know”.

***

Back at the police station, Arrash and Sands are trawling through lots of CCTV footage. Finally they find the van they're looking for and watch as it pulls into the car park of a run down warehouse near the docklands. Arrash is immediately on his feet and ready to go down there. “Where are you going?”, Sands asks even know he already knows the answer. Arrash replies something about going and getting his friend back, he adds that he's gonna need uniform back up and probably the SWAT guys. But no sirens or flashing lights. If the bad guys see them coming they might kill Stefan, if he's not already dead that is.

Sands picks up his coat and follows Arrash out of the room.

***

At the warehouse the police all arrive – stealthily getting into position. Arrash informs Sands that he's going in whether he likes it or not. Sands sighs dramatically but follows him in there. As soon as they walk in they can hear some horrible sounds – shouts, screams. Arrash pauses momentarily before continuing. They end up standing by a wall outside another room. Arrash glances in and he can see Stefan tied to a chair. He wants to just go in there but he's knows he needs a plan.

He then hears the menacing man ask Stefan something that almost makes him throw the plan out of the window.

“What about your flatmate? The police man”, he says.

“What?”, is all Stefan can say in response.

“The police man. He's investigating us, what does he know?”

“I don't know what you're talking about”

“More lies”, is all the man can say as he punches Stefan in the face again.

“I'm not lying! He doesn't talk about his work. I don't know anything!”, Stefan shouts through the pain.

The man then turns to the other guys and they discuss their next course of action. 

Arrashs mind flashbacks to a day not that long ago, in their apartment, when Arrash described in extreme detail the case they're currently working on. The one related to this gang and their activities. What they're suspected of and what the police are doing next. Stefan is getting beaten up protecting him. Protecting his job. Arrash feels sick.

His focus is suddenly brought back by an agonising scream from Stefan as one of them grabs his fingers and forces them backwards, Arrash swears he hears the bones break. He then decides to forget the plan all together and starts to head towards the room.

Sands pulls him back. Arrash tries to push him away. “Sarge, they're gonna kill him!” he whispers urgently. Sands replies, “If you go in there now, they'll kill both of you”. Arrash knows Sands is right but he can't just stand by and let this happen. “Okay, look. I'll go around the other side and try and distract them”, Sands says, “Once they leave the room you go and grab your friend. Be quick”. He then leaves the room. A few minutes later (during which Arrash had to see and hear Stefan again being asked about him and again denying all knowledge of anything. He thinks he hears the fingers on Stefans other hand break too) one of the men hears a noise.

“What was that?”, he asked the other men.

“No idea”, one replies.

“Well, go and check it out”, the first man says. 

Two of the men leave the room to investigate the noise – leaving Stefan alone with the most vicious one. Maybe this wasn't the best plan ever. Before he can do anything, there is a massive bang from the other room. He looks over towards the door. “Guys?”, he calls. There is no reply.

He shakes his head. “Useless”, he says, “I'm coming back for you so don't try anything” he adds towards Stefan's. He then finally leaves the room.

As soon as he's gone Arrash runs in as quietly as he can and heads towards Stefan. He pauses in front of him briefly when he sees Stefan's injuries. “Jesus”, he says. He then quickly begins to undo the ties on Stefans hands and feet. “Stefan, hey!” he says as he does so. Stefan looks up “Rash?” he says quietly. “Yeah, mate”, Arrash replies. “Are you real?”, Stefan adds.

“Yeah, I'm real” Arrash says. “Let's go”. He drags Stefan off the chair and into another adjacent room. He leans Stefan on the wall as he looks outside to see if the path is clear. Stefan slumps to the floor. 

“Stefan?”, Arrash says as he heads towards him. He bends down to face Stefan. He gently taps his face. “I need you to wake up, mate, I can't carry you”. Stefan opens his eyes as much as he can – his face is bruised, bloody and swollen – and Arrash helps him off the floor. “Thank you”, Stefan says quietly. Arrash just replies “thank me when we get out of here”.

He glances out of the door again – while trying to hold Stefan up right – the coast appears to be clear. “Right, let's get out of here”, he says and drags Stefan out of the building. 

Arrash doesn't know what Sands did but he's grateful and he quietly says “thanks, Sarge” to himself as they leave the building where they find a waiting ambulance. As he hands Stefan to the paramedics he looks over and sees Sands and the other officers arresting all of the bad guys. Sands smiles and directs a thumbs up in his direction. Arrash nods and half smiles as he gets onto the ambulance.

***

In a hospital room, Stefan is sleeping. Or unconcious. Arrash isn't sure which. Stefan's face is bruised and swollen still but slighly less bloody. And his hands are both bandaged up. He sits there and watches Stefan. It could be hours, it could be days. Arrash isn't even sure.

***

When Stefan wakes up, he looks over and see Arrash sleeping on a chair next to the bed. He has no idea how long he's been there but he feels terrible.

“Rash?” he says quietly. Arrash is immediately awake and on his feet. “Stefan, what the hell were you doing there?” is the first thing he says.

“I'm fine, thanks for asking”, Stefan replies as he half smiles.

“You are not fine!” Arrash snaps. “You almost died in there. What were you thinking?”

Before Stefan can really answer. DS Sands appears in the doorway. “So this is the flatmate, best friend, whatever, that caused all this trouble?” he asks. 

“Best friend, huh?”, Stefan asks as he glaces quickly at Arrash. 

“You should have seen his face when he saw you on that CCTV footage”, Sands continues. “He finally managed to get his emotions under control and co-ordinate the whole station, plus SWAT and the paramedics so he could rescue you though”, he adds.

Arrash looks anywhere but at Stefan and Stefan just stares at him with a small smile on his face.

“Nice to meet you, by the way” he adds. Stefan says “I would offer to shake your hand but..” and he waves his bandaged hands up in the air.

“Good job, Sayyad”, Sands adds as he leaves the room, and places his hand on Arrash's shoulder. “Sarge”, he says.

“So.”, Stefan says, “You were worried about me, huh?”.

“Of course I was, you're my mate”, Arrash replies. “Besides, I couldn't afford the rent on my own, could I?”

Stefan just smiles weakly as Arrash adds “Seriously, what were you thinking going in there by yourself? If we hadn't been watching that place who knows what might have happened.”

“It seemed like a good idea at the time”, Stefan replies. 

“It always does with you!”, Arrash says. “You can't keep doing this”

“Come on, Rash, it turned out okay in the end, didn't it? And you got the bad guys, right?”, Stefan just states.

“But one day it's not gonna turn out okay, is it? And I'll probably be the one identifying your body and informing your parents! I can't do this!” he shouts.

“I need some air”, he adds quietly and walks out of the room.

“Rash! Mate! Come on”, Stefan calls. “You can't walk out when I can't follow you. That's just mean!”

Stefan sighs when he realises Arrash either ignored him or didn't hear him. Either way he didn't come back.

Leila then walks in and asks “What's all the yelling? Where's Rash?”.

“He told me off and then left. Apparently I was reckless. Am reckless.”, Stefan answers.

“I see”, is all Leila says.

“What?”, Stefan says. “You agree with him?”

“Well, you need to understand Rash. When he cares about someone or something he gets like this”, Leila begins. “You didn't see him when they brought you in, I haven't seen him like that since, well, since our Dad died”.

“Oh”, is all Stefan can say in reply to that.

“Yeah”, Leila says.

“Sorry”, Stefan then adds.

Leila smiles softly and says, “Just give him some time. He'll be back soon”.

Leila then checks Stefan's vitals and records everything on the charts. “Everything is fine”, she adds, she also gives Stefan some pain medication, before leaving the room.

Stefan suddenly feels horrible. Maybe he is reckless and maybe even selfish. He didn't realise Arrash valued their friendship quite that much. Sometimes he didn't think Arrash even liked him. Stefan lays in his hospital bed feeling sorry for himself and guilty about how he unintentionally made Arrash feel. He doesn't even remember falling asleep but he must have done because when he opens his eyes again Arrash is back sitting on the chair by the bed. He's just sitting there watching.

“Hey”, is all Arrash says when Stefan opens his eyes.

“Hey”, Stefan replies. 

“Sorry about yelling earlier”, Arrash then continues. “I was just worried, that's all”, he mumbles.

“Maybe you were right. Maybe it was stupid going on my own”, Stefan replies.

Arrash half smiles and rolls his eyes “Maybe?”, he says.

Stefan smiles back, “Okay, definitely”, he replies. “I'm sorry”, he adds.

“Yeah, well, you should be”, Arrash says, half heartedly.

“You can't be too angry at me, I'm injured, remember?”, Stefan says half jokingly.

“And whose fault is that?”, Arrash replies sarcastically.

“Well, it's not mine, is it? I didn't beat myself up, you know?”, Stefan says.

“You wouldn't have done such a good job of it, if you had. I've seen you in a fight, remember? Rubbish”, Arrash says teasingly.

“I am not rubbish. I'm brilliant!”, Stefan argues. “I've got moves”.

“I've seen your moves mate, they're not great.”

“What do you mean? Of course they are”

“I don't think so”

Leila arrives at the doorway to check on Stefan's vitals when she sees them laughing and teasing each other. She smiles to herself. 

Things are back to normal.

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry for hurting Stefan again. I love him really, but I love the idea of Arrash being worried about him too.


End file.
